Contrivance for rolling zinc and other sheet-metal hollow ware



27 I J. GRONEFELD I CONTRIVANCE FOR ROLLING ZINC AND OTHER SHEET IB'I'ALHOLLOW WARE Filed Feb. 24, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 Jnven for; Ja /Z1717:grdny jl Jul 5 1927. "I "1634 661 y J. GRONEFELD v corimarvmcz won mommazmc AND OTHER sasn'r um, aonnqw WARE.

um Feb. 24. 1926 z'sm'u-smp z Jnvenf or; 7072M; arena/e12 Y 4/! Fwy.

Patented July 5, i927.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHANNES GBONEFELD, OF BERLIN, GERMANY, .ASSI GNOR TO B. SACHSGESELLSCHAIT MIT BESGHRKNKTER HAF'IUN G, OF BERLIN, GERHANY, A. GERMANCOMPANY. i7

OONTRIVANCE FOR ROLLING ZINC AND OTHER SHEET-METAL HOLLOW Applicationfiled February 24, 1926, Serial No. 90,394, and in Germany March 6,1825. v

This invention relates to a contrivance for rolling sheet metal for thepurpose of producing the walls of metal hollow ware and the like, inparticular the zinc casings of 5 pocket electric battery cells.

The feature of the invention consists therein, that :a core or mandrel,the external configuration of which corresponds with the desiredinternal profile of the hollow vessel 1 to be formed, is surrounded by achannel or hollow space, the thickness of which corre-- sponds with thethickness of the hollow vessel to be formed, and into such channel thecorrespondingly already cut sheet zinc or other sheet metal is thrustfrom a peripheral location, so that conforming to the channel displacedby suitable links from the machine shaft, and engage at the rear borderthe sheet metal blank resting in the guide and will thrust it with its,front border into the open channel at the top surrounding the rollingmandrel, .so that when the. entire blank is thrust as far as the rearborderinto the channel and rolled around the mandrel, the front and rearborders of the blank are slightly superposed. If then the thrustingmembers are returnedto their initial position and the finished rolledcasingthrust off the mandrel in the axial direction, the contrivance isready for operation upon the next following sheet metal blank. Thecontrivance can be combined in a simple manner with a device for cuttingthe sheet metal blank from a strip of sheet metal, and on the other handthe knife can be combined with an upper guide cover for the forwardlyslidin blank placed in the horizontal guide behin the rolling mandrel.If the sheet metal strip is insertedifrom the front until it strikesbehind with the leading border,

and if then the cover, until then situated 'p above the blank andprovided in front with a knife, is mechanically depressed a predewtermined extent, the knife cuts off the necessar .blankfrom the stripand the cover remains close above the blank, so thatduring thc' nowfollowing forward thrust of the blank the formation of creases thereinis prevented. In order to reduce friction on roll- I ing the blank, itisadvisable to'rotatably mount the mandrel..

On. the accom anying drawing Fig. 1 is a p an of a constructional examle of the contrivance partly in section.

ig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section.

Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sections on a larger scale of the devicefor thrustin the blank, Fig. 3 showing theinitial and ig. 4 the endposition. i

In the constructional example illustrated, servingas a former aroundwhich the blank is rolled, is a stationary horizontally mountedcylindrical mandrel 1, which 'is ,sur-

rounded by a close fitting rotatable sleeve 2.

The mandrel 1 extends through a cylindrical bore ofa base block 3, thediameter of which corresponds with that of the outer surface of the zinccasing or other metal casing to be produced. As the mandrel sleeve 2 isso proportioned as regards its external diameter as to correspond withthe internal diameter of the zinc casing to be produced, there remainsbetween such mandrel sleeve and the.

surface of, the bore an annular channel of the thickness of the zinccasing to be produced. The cylindrical bore of the block 3 is open ontop as a broad slot, so that ,the annular channel 4 between the mandrelsleeve and 'the surfaceof the bore on top from the rear (from the leftin'Figs. 3 and 4) has an open inlet. Above thebore for the rollintransverse y to the bore an upwardly open guideway 5 for the strip ofsheet metal 6, fed from the front, and the width of which like that ofthe guideway, corresponds with the height of the zinc casing to beproduced.-

Beneath the longitudinal-bore of the block 3 transverse slots are,provided through which extend rods ,7, which in front are mandrel 1,, 2,the'block 3 has connected to a crosshead 8, and curved upwards at therear, terminate each in an abutment or pusher 9, the abutment surface ofwhich extends deeper than the su orting surface of the guideway 5. T einserted strip of sheet metad 6 abuts against the opposing face of a bar25. At the level of the open inlet to the annular channel 4 is situateda guide surface 10, which serves to receive the cut -ofi zinc blank andto guide same forward to the mandrel. The cutting device is mounted onthe front side of a cover 12, which is held by springs 13 above theguide 10 at such height as not to hinder the thrusting forward of thesheet metal strip 6 beneath the knife 11. After the leading border ofthe sheet metal strip 6 has encountered the bar the cover 12 togetherwith the knife 11 is drawn downwards by rollers 15 mounted on lugs 14being depressed against the influence of the springs 13 by a rod 16,which is provided with a corresponding cam surface 17 and is forwardlydisplaced by means of an eccentric or the like driven by the machineshaft. On

its descent the knife 11 cuts off the desired strip 6, which blank fromthe sheet metal falls on to the guide 10, and the cover 12 descends onto the cut-off blank, but without pressing same. During the forwarddisplacement of the bar 16, this latter eventually, after a certainamountof lost motion, de-

, termined by a longitudinal slotway 18 there- 1n, encounters thecrosshead 8 and on further cyhnder, machine the knife 11 again assumesits initial level,

- is provided on the under forward displacement carries same with ittogether with the rods 7 and the pushers 9. The latter in their motionengage the blank resting on the guide 10 and thrust same into theannular channel 4, until it'reaches the position shown in Fig. 4, inwhich the entire blank has been introduced into the annular channel, andhasaccordingly become rolled around the mandrel sleeve 2. The frontborder of the blank in this position becomes located to a slight extentbeneath the rear border which is the last to enter the channel and formstherewith the lap joint of the zinc casing which is later soldered bymeans of another contrivance. During the forward displacement of theblank by the pushers 9, the closely superlying cover 12 preventsbuckling or creasing of the sheet metal. In order that the cover shallnot impede the forward displacement of the pushers 9, it

surface with corresponding grooves 19. After forming the the rod 16 iswithdrawn by the shaft, whereby the cover 12 with and the pushers 9 arewithdrawn to their initial position. The zinc casing rolled on themandrel sleeve 2 is then stripped off the sleeve 2, in the oppositelongitudinal direction to and by a sleeve 21 mounted on an enlargedportion 20 of themandrel and dis placed by a lever 23 pivoted at 22 androcked by means of a cam disc or the like driven by. the machine shaft,and such zinc casing is thereby transferred to an enlarged portion 24 ofthe mandrel, on which the seam may be immediately soldered by mechanicalmeans, or. from whence it can be removed from the contrivance. After thezinc casing has been thrust off the mandrel, the

upon the entire contrivauc'e is ready to reoperations.

In the described contrivance the longitudinal seam after the completionof the zinc casing, is located on top, which is best suited for theordinary method of soldering. However some other type of solderingprocess may follow the rolling of the casing, in which it is necessarythat the seam be located on the bottom beneath. In such case, the zinccasing after it has been rolled can be turned through 180, or therolling contrivance by suitable arrangement of the several memberswithout basic alteration can be so constructed that the blank is fed tothe 'rolling mandrel and annular channel from beneath so that the scamis then located at the lowest portion thereof.

I claim:

1. A machine for producing cylinders from sheet metal strips comprisinga base block having a cylindrical bore therein and a guideway for thesheet metal; a mandrel mounted in said bore; a cutting device mounted onthe block and having .a knife arranged adjacent the guideway for cuttingoff the blanks to be formed into cylinders; and a plurality of rodsslidably mounted in said block and adapted to feed the blanks of sheetmetal into the bore and around the mandrel to form the cylinder.

2. A machine for producing. cylinders from sheet metal strips comprisinga base block having a cylindrical bore therein and a guideway for thesheet mounted in said bore; a cutting device mounted on the block andhaving a knife arranged-adjacent the guideway for cutting ofi' theblanks to be formedinto cylinders; means mounted in said block forfeeding the blanks of sheet metal into the bore and around the mandrelto form the cylinder; and means for stripping the cylinder from themandrel. I

3. A machine for producing cylinders from sheet metal strips comprisinga base block having a cylindrical bore therein and a g'uideway. for thesheet metal; a mandrel mounted in said bore; a sleeve rotatably -mountedaround the mandrel; a cutting defor feeding the blanks of metal into thebore and around the sleeve of the mandrel to form the cylinder.

4. A machine for producing cylinders from sheet metal strips comprisinga base metal; a mandrel block having a cylindrical bore therein and c aguideway for the sheet metal; amandrel mounted in said bore; a sleeverotatably mounted around the mandrel; a cutting de vice mounted on theblock and having-a knife arranged adjacent the guideway-for the cylinderfrom the mandrel.

5. Amachine for producing cylinders from sheet metal strips comprising abase block having a cylindrical bore therein and a guideway for thesheet metal; a mandrel mounted in said bore and consisting of a fixedcore and a sleeve rotatably mounted on said core; a cutting devicemounted on the block and having a knife arranged adjacent the guidewayfor cutting ofi the blanks to be formed into cylinders; and meansmounted in said block for feeding the blanks of metal into the bore andaround the sleeve of the mandrel to form the cylinder, the cuttingdevice preventing buckling and creasing of the sheet metal While beingformed.

6. A machine for producing cylinders from sheet metal strips comprisinga base block having a cylindrical bore therein and a guideway for thesheet metal; a mandrel mounted in said bore; a cutting device mounted onthe block and having a knife arranged adjacent the guideway for cuttingoff the blanks to be formed into cylinders; and means mounted in saidblock for feeding the blanks of sheet metal into the bore and around themandrel to form the cylinder and for operating the cutting device.

7. A machine for producing cylinders from sheet metal strips comprisinga base block having a cylindrical bore therein and a guideway for thesheet metal; a mandrel.-

mounted in said bore; a cutting device mounted on-the block and having aknife arranged adjacent the guideway for cutting on the blanks to beformed into cylinders; meansmounted in said'blockfor feeding the blanksof sheet metal into the bore and around the mandrel to form the cylindersaid core; a cutting device mounted on the block and having a knifearranged adjacent the guideway for. cutting oifthe blanks -to be formedinto cylinders; and means mounted in said block for feeding the blanksof metalinto the bore and around the sleeve of the mandrel to form thecylinder and for operating the cutting device.

machine for producing cylinders from sheet metal strips comprising abase block having a cylindrical bore therein and a guideway for thesheetmetal; a mandrel mounted in said bore; a spring-pressed cuttingdevice mounted on the block and hav-' ing a knife arranged adjacent theguide way for cutting off the blanks to be formed into cylinders; a pairof lugs secured to said cutting device; a roller mounted on the lugs; arod having a cam surface adapted to cooperate with said roller toactuate the cutting device, said device being forced to,its originalposition after the blank is coiled by means of the spring; and means forfeeding the blanks of metal into the bore and around the mandrel to formthe cylinder.

10. A machine for producing cylinders from sheet metal strips comprisinga base block having a cylindrical bore therein and a guideway for thesheet metal; a mandrel mounted in said bore; a spring-pressed cuttingdevice mounted on the block and having a knife arranged adjacent theguideway for cutting off the blanks to be formed into cylinders; a pairof lugs secured to said cutting device; a roller mounted on the lugs; arod having a cam surface adapted to cooperate With said roller toactuate the cut ting device, said device being forced to its originalposition after .the blank is coiled by means of the spring; a ,crossheadmounted on said rod; and means connected to said crosshead for feedingthe blanks of metal into the-b0re and around the mandrel to form thecylinder.

11. A machine. for producing cylinders from sheet metal stripscomprising a base block having a cylindrical bore therein and a guidewayfor the sheet metal; a mandrel mounted in said bore; a spring-pressedcutting device mounted on the block and having a knife arranged adjacentthe guideway for cutting off the blanks-to be formed into cylinders; apair of lugs secured to said cutting device; a roller mounted on thelugs; a rod having a cam surface adapted to cooperate with said rollerto actuate the cutting device, said device being forced to its originalposition after the blank is coiled by means of the spring; a crossheadmounted on said rod; and a plurality of rods connected to 'saidci'osshead for feeding the blanks of metal into the bore and around themandrel to form the cylinder.,

12. A machine for producing cylinders from sheet metal strips comprisinga base block having a cylindrical bore therein and a guideway for thesheet metal; a mandrel mounted in said bore and consisting of a fixedcore and a sleeve rotatably mounted on said core; a spring-pressedcutting device mounted on the block andihaving a knife arranged adjacentthe guideway for cutting oil? the blanks to be formed into cylinders;

a pair oflugs secured to said cutting de-.

vice; a roller mounted on the lugs; a rod having a cam surface adaptedto cooperate with said roller to actuate the cutting device, said devicebeing forced to its original position after the blank is coiled by meansof the spring; a crosshead mounted on said rod; and a plurality of rodsconnected to said crosshead for feeding the blanks of metal into. thebore and around the sleeve of the mandrelto form the cylinder.

13. A machine for producing cylinders from sheet metal strips comprisinga base block having a cylindrical bore therein and a guidevvay for thesheet metal; a mandrel mounted in said bore; a spring-pressed cuttingdevice mounted on the block and having a knife arranged adjacent theguideway for cutting off the blanks to be formed into cylinders; a pairof lugs secured to said cutafter the blank is coiled by means of thespring; a cross head mounted in the slot in the rod; and means connectedto said crosshead for feeding the blanks of metal into the bore andaround the mandrel to form the cylinder, said means being actuated dueto the actuation of the rod, and the cutting device operates to cut offthe blank whereafter the feeding of the blank takes place, due to theslot in the rod.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

- JOHANNES GRONEFELD.

